Our Programs
Mats & Pillows Project
Motor City Mitten Mission’s Mats & Pillows Program is where our mission began—bringing volunteers together to recycle plastic grocery bags and transform them into durable sleeping mats and pillows for individuals experiencing homelessness. Through this innovative program, MCMM has kept millions of plastic bags out of landfills while creating thousands of mats that provide an added layer of comfort, insulation, and protection for people sleeping outdoors. The program combines compassion, volunteerism, and environmental sustainability, demonstrating how something as simple as a discarded plastic bag can be transformed into something meaningful for a neighbor in need. It reflects the very heart of MCMM and our belief that “It’s Easy to be Kind.”
Street Outreach
Motor City Mitten Mission’s Street Outreach Program provides compassionate, direct assistance to individuals and families experiencing homelessness throughout Metro Detroit, meeting people where they are 365 days a year. Our Outreach teams provide hot meals, clothing, hygiene supplies, blankets, transportation, emergency assistance, and other basic necessities, while connecting individuals to shelter, housing, medical and behavioral healthcare, substance use treatment, and other critical resources. Through consistent engagement, relationship building, and a trauma-informed approach, MCMM works to build trust with some of our community’s most vulnerable neighbors and help them move from crisis toward safety and stability. In 2025 alone, MCMM’s Street Outreach Program served approximately 4,685 unique individuals and distributed 67,525 hearty meals.
City of Detroit
After-Hours Emergency Shelter & Emergency Outreach Services Helpline
Motor City Mitten Mission operates the City of Detroit After-Hours Emergency Shelter & Emergency Outreach Services Helpline, providing critical assistance to individuals and families experiencing homelessness when traditional resources may be unavailable. The Helpline operates weekdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. and 24 hours on weekends, helping callers access emergency shelter, outreach response, transportation, and other essential resources. When appropriate, MCMM dispatches its Street Outreach teams directly into the community to assist individuals and families in crisis. Through compassionate assessment, coordination, and connection to community resources, the Helpline helps ensure that Detroit residents experiencing homelessness have someone to turn to after hours.
.jpg)
Homelessness to Housing
(H2H)
Motor City Mitten Mission’s Homelessness to Housing (H2H) Program helps individuals and families successfully transition from homelessness into safe, stable housing by providing the essential items and support needed to turn an empty space into a home. MCMM provides furniture, beds, household goods, linens, kitchen essentials, and other necessities at no cost, including delivery and home setup, while also connecting households with supportive resources to promote long-term stability. In 2025 alone, MCMM helped more than 200 households move into and furnish their new homes. Through H2H, we help ensure that receiving the keys to a home is not simply the end of homelessness, but the beginning of a more stable and hopeful future.